Looking back to my weekend escape in Acadia...
Something pulled me off of Park Loop Road to head towards the Wild Gardens of Acadia. That's a normal stop for me when I'm wandering in flower seasons, but in November? The trees were bare, there were only a few very much out-of-season wild roses decorating the rocky shore, not the right season for a garden visit.
The detour was a beauty, with visions of bare trees, a carpet of fallen leaves, reflections in water.
I was just wandering through the photos from my trips to Acadia this year, one in June, one in November. I have a number of photos taken in (close to) the same spot, gazing at the water and the mountains behind Sand Beach. What an amazing difference!
What do you think?
Greens, taken June 7, 2009
I'm sure you've already figured out that Acadia National Park is a favorite wandering spot for me.
Last weekend's trip was the latest in the year that I've visited. The park was quiet, deciduous trees (for the most part) bareness highlighted by the green needles of the evergreens. As always, the rocks, the ocean, birds, beauty focused my eyes.
Do words ever jump out at you, words you think you should understand but don't?
My work life includes people from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, from the United States and from England. Even though we speak the same language, there are many times when we think we are speaking a very different version of English. Today's word wasn't a cross-ocean difference though, it was a word that only one person knew and used. The rest of us? We needed a dictionary.
fat⋅u⋅ous [fach-oo-uhs] –adjective
1. foolish or inane, esp. in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly.
2. unreal; illusory.
Definition courtesy of dictionary.com
Remember before we left for Acadia when I said that maybe I should create my own blog?
I always help Denise write when we travel, but sometimes I like to say things in between too. And I'd like my friends to be able to find my writing. I like writing in Denise's blog though...
Oh look! Denise helped me to create my own writing corner inside of her big blog. Now when I write, I can tag my posts Rover's writings, and you can always see just my writing by clicking on that link. Denise added my Rover's writings link in the sidebar of our blog so you can always find my words. Isn't that fun?
Let's see, there was another reason I thought I should write today. Denise is still sorting through the photos from our very quick wander in Acadia. She'll create the photo gallery soon. In the meantime, here's a shot of me on the painted rocks that we found as we walked along the coast yesterday.
--- Rover
I started walking this morning wearing a light windbreaker. The temperature edged higher and I tied the jacket around my waist. That worked, mostly. I realized that it was getting looser, so I reached down to retie it. (I know, I know, it would have been smarter to have thrown it into the daypack was adorning my back. But then I wouldn't have this story to tell, would I?)
I was walking with my camera around my neck, left hand threaded through the strap attached to my monopod also providing a bit of support to my camera. I thought nothing about continuing to hold the camera with my left hand at the same time using both hands to reach for my jacket sleeves. All of a sudden I heard a noise from the camera. What!??! Ah, I must have hit the shutter; the camera responded and shot a photo. Mind you, this was as I continued to walk. I was not looking through the camera or controlling it in any way other than having it attached to me in two places, wrist and neck.
Once I saw the first accidental photo, I attempted a deliberate accidental shot. I have the say that I prefer the first (real) accident over the second. I wonder if I will ever be able to create something like this on purpose.
What a beautiful day!
The temperature quickly moved from the high 40s to the low 60s, even along the windy coastline. An interested cloud-painted sky changed over my few hours of walking time to pure blue. I spent several hours walking along the path that hugs Park Loop Road, heading south from Thunder Hole. Walking, stopping to wander over the rocks, walking some more.
A morning in the park, an afternoon drive... It was so beautiful that I decided to follow Route 1 and 3 south to Belfast before heading inland to Augusta to pick up the highway for the rest of the drive home.
The Penobscot Narrows Bridge almost tempted me to stay for a bit. I'd love to get some pictures of that fabulous structure in early morning or late day light; today's passage was too early in the day. While I would have enjoyed staying for several more hours, I suspect getting home late(r) tonight wouldn't have made me happy when tomorrow morning's "wake up for work" alarm rings. Ah, maybe, that's a visit for sometime next year.
This weekend was definitely the quick break that I wanted and needed. Calming...
What a nice surprise! It's already warmer outside than it was all day yesterday.
We started yesterday in the 30s, ended it there too. And I watched the thermometer in Denise's car drop as we rolled up Cadillac Mountain - from 41 when we pulled out of Bar Harbor, to 33 at the top. By the time we had rolled off of the mountain it was in the high 30s at sea level too.
This morning? I just checked the Bar Harbor temperature on the National Weather Service web site, and it's already up to 48 degrees. Warmer...
Yesterday we bounced up several trails. Today? I told Denise we need to bounce on the rocks by the ocean, from Sand Beach to Thunder Hole and beyond.
Oh! It's time to wander.--- Rover
